Health And Safety Measures Required To The Safe Collection Of Data

Protective Clothing And Gear

It is important to remember that during the application of some chemicals, or during the monitoring of equipment, it might be required that workers wear respiratory gear and safety clothing. In this section, we will look at the manner in which protective gear and clothing must be maintained and how it is correctly utilised.

Maintenance Of Equipment And Gear

All protective clothing and safety equipment must be in good condition at all times. Before protective clothing is utilised, the user must ensure that:

All items are free of holes and tears to prevent penetration of the chemical onto undergarments or onto the skin.

• All items have been washed properly after previous use.
• All buttons, zippers or other fastenings are working well.
• Elastic used in clothing and facemasks are not perished or stretched out.
• Cartridges for respirators must be replaced on a regular basis in line with the manufacturer’s specification.
• Where it is found that protective clothing is torn, or has perished in some way, it must be replaced.

Utilisation Of Equipment And Gear

The use of protective clothing must be strictly enforced at all times. Each individual should have his or her own protective clothing and equipment that fits well and is properly maintained. Farmers or workers are advised to wear appropriate clothing when applying or mixing chemicals. These include glasses, gloves, boots, overalls or jackets with long sleeves, long pants. Basic first aid principles are advised on like clean water on hand to rinse eyes. Learners are not encouraged to apply first aid by encouraging the drinking of any substance other than water but to contact a medical practitioner immediately.

Safety precautions do not end when the sampling application is complete. All equipment has to be cleaned, maintained and stored in good condition in preparation for future use.

Operators should change out of work clothes and bathe once spraying is complete. Work clothes should be washed.

Protective clothing like masks should be maintained. When a respiratory type is used which requires changing of filters – it should be maintained and changed as necessary. Masks, gloves and boots with overalls, should be worn as indicated by the workplace environment and as indicated by labels on chemicals (see pictograms on chemical labels).

• Do not eat, drink or smoke;
• Always wash hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking;
• Remove first boots, apron, shirt pants, respirator, and gloves.
• Wash clothes separately

Personnel Regulations, Communication With Workers And Non-Authorised Workers

All workers must be fully trained in workplace safety regulations and these regulations should be enforced at all times. The regulations must include regulations regarding the conduct of personnel when handling samples and chemicals, being:

• No smoking, drinking or eating is allowed in the vicinity of where chemicals are mixed, applied or stored.
• No person that is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is allowed to handle chemicals for whatever purpose under any circumstances.
• Safety regulations regarding the use of chemical application equipment.
• Regulations regarding the proper utilisation of protective clothing and equipment.
• Regulations on how to handle chemicals safely.
• Prescriptive regulations on how chemical spills, leakages and other emergencies should be handled.

Instructions concerning the chemical to be used, the concentration to be used, the area to be sampled and the type of sample coverage required must be given in writing on a daily basis and signed by the supervisor.

In the interest of safety, under no circumstances are any non-authorised workers allowed to handle or be associated with handling or application of chemicals.

Soil And Water Contamination

Care should be taken when compiling data so that spray drift does not contaminate water sources, such as dams, streams, springs, etc, as this might contaminate samples and distort the data.

Filling points where chemicals are mixed and spray machine tanks filled should be situated at least 50m from any water source, including boreholes, and have a suitable drainage system, such as a French drain, that can safely drain away spilt chemicals and excess water.

Climate Conditions

The supervisor should take cognisance of the expected weather conditions for the day of the planned sampling application, using various media that are available, such as radio, television, websites, etc. This will assist in the planning for resource allocation for the following day. If rain is expected, delay the planned sampling until such time as the weather clears

Training aids that are used include transparencies and examples of labels on pesticide containers, information on the label, colour coding, pictograms and associated safety precautions.